MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Four Middle Tennessee State University non-faculty employees — all from Rutherford County — were recognized for their top-tier job performance at the 2025 Employee Recognition Awards.

Emceed by employee awards committee representative Chelsea Floyd, the annual ceremony was held Thursday, April 24, in the James Union Building on campus followed by a reception that welcomed their families along with fellow staff members, faculty and students.

MTSU Faculty Senate President Suzanne Sutherland thanked this year’s winners for supporting the campus community, followed by the presentation of awards by Provost Mark Byrnes. Recipients include:

• Quintina Burton of Murfreesboro, director of Event Coordination, received the Administrative Employee of the Year. She came on board in 2003, the same year she earned her master’s degree at MTSU.

Revered as the embodiment of event industry knowledge, Burton’s “sparkling personality” is known to inspire and encourage others through her professionalism and care.

• Jennifer Tweedie of Readyville, an executive assistant in the Department of Art and Design, was recognized as Administrative Professional Employee of the Year. Tweedie started working at MTSU in 2009 and is currently pursuing a degree in art at MTSU.

Tweedie arrives early every day before taking the helm as the department’s ambassador to ensure everything runs smoothly for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Her “infinite kindness” does not go unnoticed, and colleagues consider her an invaluable part of the team.

• Kristen Rabinowitz of Murfreesboro, an analyst for Enrollment Technical Services, was named Classified Employee of the Year. Rabinowitz started at MTSU in 2022 and quickly became an integral part of her team.

“Teamwork makes the dream work” is her motto and colleagues describe Rabinowitz as the “ultimate role model” who leads others with “grace, humility and patience.”

“I am largely focused on data and its accuracy. However, one of the things that I enjoy most is when I do get to do something which helps a student on their path to academic success,” said Rabinowitz, who was able to assist a 70-year-old man with fulfilling a lifelong dream to go back to college.

• Richard “Rick” Kurtz of La Vergne, a 30-year veteran of MTSU who works at the service desk of James E. Walker Library, was selected as Technical/Service Employee of the Year. Kurtz, a self-avowed “old man of the library,” is one of the few who has worked at both the former library location in Todd Hall as well as the current location that opened in 1999.

Kurtz is described by library users and coworkers as an “amazing person” who is “level-headed,” “steadfast” with institutional knowledge that makes him an “indispensable” part of the campus community. His colleagues especially admire his poise and compassion when faced with emergencies and he is “humbled and grateful” for the recognition.

Each received a financial gift from the MTSU Foundation as well as an engraved award for their work excellence and commitment to the university’s success.

MTSU employs more than 2,500 faculty and staff members campuswide. Its Employee Recognition Program celebrates non-teaching employees for supporting students, faculty and their other colleagues and making the university a more efficient and effective workplace.

Non-faculty employees at MTSU are designated as administrative/professional, technical, classified or administration according to their job duties. Clerical employees, now known as administrative/professional employees at MTSU, are honored annually.

To see a list of past award recipients, or find out more information about MTSU’s employee recognition programs, which also include the MTSU Foundation Awards and Faculty Recognition presentations each fall, visit the university’s Human Resource Services site at www.mtsu.edu/hrs/relations/recog.php.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu